October 25, 2010

Dear Children,

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! My first childhood memories of Christmas weather was the sound of wipers blades on the windshield when we went Christmas shopping. Last night, we drove through a driving rain storm to take Morty to the airport. The fall weather is finally here; we have been very lucky up until now.

Morty was here for the weekend. I saw more TV than I have in many months. It was kind of nice just to relax when I chose to sit with him and watch a game instead of scrapbooking while the TV was on (everything is still out on the ping pong table until I get Grandma’s books done: two more years left!). Morty loves his sports! He was patient enough to stay at our home to watch his games even though he could only watch one game at a time and on blurry TV compared to his. He did have his iPad and lap top showing some games at times.

He was also very kind and patient to go with me to help me make a decision on Adrianne’s reception spot. Last week we learned that the place we hoped to use had been booked for our day so I have spent much time and worry searching for something in our budget allowance. Friday, both Grandma and Morty traveled with me to Rock Creek Country Club and learned it was not going to work out so we decided we better get our deposit in for Hayden’s Restaurant in Tualatin. They have been very accommodating and best of all, they will do all the work! So we should have a fairly relaxing day; won’t that be nice? The manager even suggested that he would set up a side room with a video for the young children if they get bored.

Morty met up with Seth Feinauer and went to a Winterhawks game. Seth’s company gets box seating. Morty’s friend, Nicole, came down from Moses Lake to see him and go to the hockey game. Morty also showed me all the new features introduced from Apple this week. He got the new software and was organizing all his photos in iPhoto. It was very convenient to have Morty’s organized (by event and date) photo files here since I had a couple of questioned as I worked on Grandma’s books.

I am excited to spend this next weekend with Shawn and Aubrey’s family; it will be fun to see them over Halloween. After that I will head be in Utah for a few days to help Heidi organize her basement. They are supposed to have sunny weather that week. That will be good so it won’t be so cold.

Aubrey did another Nike half marathon. I forgot if she said she beat her last time. Just the fact that she did it was wonderful! She was able to go to Time Out for Women and sent me her notes. This year the theme is hope. In Ardeth Kapp’s message, she said we should hope for the Holy Ghost companionship more than anything else. That goes along with several of this last general conference messages. Last week my class discussed President Eyring’s conference address about trusting God when he taught us to listen to the prophets’ words by which we may live to find the security and peace that God wants for us. He said as we find out what God wants us to do and do it, our power to trust Him increases. He said: listen, learn, repent, go and do.

This week we discussed President Uchtdorf’s address on self worth. It was great as he used the example of a pilot reducing speed to safely navigate through turbulence, he reminded us to slow down. I loved his story about ball point pens in space and his quote from daVinci, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” My institute teacher says that B.U.S.Y. can sometimes mean “being under Satan’s yoke” when we neglect the things that matter most. President Uchtdorf reminded us the importance of relationships, that they don’t just happen, and that love in families is often spelled TIME.

Not to completely ignore President Uchtdorf’s message, but I did not slow to an optimum speed through my circumstances of last week when I had a holiday card party here to show the neighbors how fun and EASY my service was for getting out holiday cards and then the next morning being prepared to teach a whole wheat bread making class for Super Saturday! I couldn’t have done those without Dad’s help. He was right there cleaning up behind me all the way. After my class, I drove home, turned off the engine and immediately fell asleep sitting in the car in the garage!

Both events went very well and I am re-excited to start baking with wheat; I am on the quest for baking a loaf that is similar to Killer Dave’s bread with lots of seeds and nuts at Costco! I made a pretty good attempt on Sunday afternoon. I wanted to send a loaf home for the boys with Morty but he wouldn’t take it on the plane!

Anyway, I caught Dad’s cold from running faster than I had strength. I think I am almost over it. Last night, I kept falling asleep as I tried to write this so I headed to bed at 8:30! I stopped long enough to vote and then fell asleep. It felt SO good; why don’t I do that more often!!! I was going to get up early and make bread to send to Las Vegas with Katie but she isn’t flying there today.

I got to the temple a couple of times in the last couple of weeks. Kimberly Williams, Adrianne’s’ friend, is leaving for a mission in January. She came home and went through the temple so I went with her. Dad and I went to the ward temple night and were able to be the witness couple last week.

Very good news for Aaron: he got the job at UNLV working with their web design for the distance learning department. He will be excellent at that and be able to learn a lot to improve his skills. He starts class there in January but they let him start his work right now. He and Morty are busy setting up a retail business selling TV as they hope to have it going in November for Christmas and then Super Bowl sales. Aaron is setting up the store front right next to campus.

My Auntie Katherine passed away on Sunday (Johnny’s mom). I was going to try and fly down and back for the day for her funeral but they are not going to have a service. It is hard to realize that Grandma is the only one left in the Maldonado family of that generation! As I was thinking about my memories of my Auntie Katherine and Uncle Tony, I remember how I used to take my tricycle to the side yard of our Joanne Street home where there was gravel. I would ride my tricycle on the gravel to pretend that I was going to Uncle Tony’s house (they had a gravel driveway when they lived in Niles). I loved going there; we would play with the animals or play games all evening.

Have a good week ahead and “never suppress a generous thought! (Camilla Kimball)” I love you! Love, Mom

October 10, 2010

Dear Children,

I am glad that I am not the one driving to Sweet Home tonight. It sat in the car, started guessing some words for the Catch Phrase game Sunhee started and promptly fell asleep until almost Salem! I guess that allowed me to be able to stay awake for Dad all the home. We have had a weekend full of board games, bike riding, backyard fun, basketball and hide ‘n seek. Alina, Adam Sunhee and Meeja are full of non-stop energy and fun as they played all weekend together plus, they can hide in amazingly small spaces so they are great at hide ‘n seek!

There was no school on Friday so Dad and I drove to watch Sunhee’s soccer game Thursday evening. Friday afternoon was spent at the zoo. Dad left very early in the morning to check on a job so he could join us. The weather was just barely damp so the animals were all out and entertaining. We saw several feeding times which is always fun. I was surprised how much the older children loved the zoo; they have been a lot so I thought it wouldn’t be as exciting, but they all love learning. Alina was especially excited for her zoo trip since her entrance ticket said she was an adult!

This was the weekend for bread. Dad made lots of Halboji bread: cinnamon, wheat and white. On Sunday the children and I made a batch of whole wheat in my new mixer (well, it is over a year old but I just don’t use it much). They helped me form the loaves. It tasted great but didn’t rise like normal. I have to keep practicing since I have to teach it this Saturday and I have to be used to a new recipe and mixer (I can’t find my old K-Tec recipe).

We celebrated Adam’s birthday on Friday evening. He, with Alina’s promoting, chose shrimp pasta. Alina was a great helper in the kitchen and learned how easy it is to make. She took home some basil from the yard so she could make it at home. She also made our cupcake frosting on Sunday (We took dinner to the Andrew and Brittany Westhora family Sunday afternoon since they had their baby this week) so she has two more recipes in her repertoire.

More than anything, the grandchildren just loved playing in the yard and being together to just think of nothing but having fun with each other. It was a great weekend; it would be nice to do many more weekends like that and also be able to have weekends to have alone visits with the grandchildren but we have Bryson and Gregory who we haven’t visited in their home since Bryson was born! We are trying to make our Christmas plans with the Oregon grandchildren earlier this year so we don’t interfere with their own family Christmas celebrations. We might combine it with Kyre’s birthday celebration at the beginning of December.

I started another term of my institute class. Among other gospel principles, we will be studying a conference talk each week. That will be wonderful. We discussed President Monson’s great talk on gratitude this week.

I also started a Family History class this week on Tuesday evenings. It should be interesting. I hope I can just get information without getting too involved. I know that sounds horrible but I have other projects to finish before I can allow myself to start doing family research again. I love it and have a hard time just doing a little at a time! Getting back into it seems overwhelming to me. Sister Call talked to me at the class and signed me up to be an Indexer or Extractor. I don’t know if they are interchangeable; I don’t know that much about it yet. All I know is my email quit working the day the site was downloaded on my computer. I will have to figure that out this week when I have time. Aunt Denise just received a calling to work in the Oakland Family History Center so she is going to become an expert. Yes!

I hope AND PRAY that this week is a good one for each of you. Katie thought she would be getting an apartment this week but the apartments that she is looking at are getting rented immediately. She left the grandchildren some of her cupcakes that she prepared for her Singles Ward so we had a fun dessert tonight.

I love you, Mom

October 5, 2010

Dear Children,

What a wonderful week this has been. I have been in Utah since last Friday morning. Dad and I went for a visit and to watch a BYU football game for this season. Boo hoo; they lost right in front of our eyes. That was hard to watch after these many years of usually picking a winning game to see in Provo. It was a VERY warm day and our seats were at the tip top of the student section so the sun didn’t stop beating down on us until 8 minutes until the end of the game! It felt like summer. In fact, I have been so cold since returning late Sunday evening as the weather while I was there in Utah has been BEAUTIFUL!

The first day that we were in Utah we visited with Grandma and then went to Daybreak so Bill could go to a dinner to prepare for his half marathon the next day. Heidi was at a conference for Dazzle Apparel; she is planning on taking that back again from Bill’s company. We had a fun time with the girls after dinner just playing in their driveway and looking for rocks. Jenna loves rocks! Dad was hoping the girls would see the moon come up before we went in. When Bill and Heidi came back, we forgot all about the moon until Dad and I were driving home and saw the big, beautiful moon in the sky so the girls missed it!

On game day, Dad and I headed to the school and rented ourselves bikes so we could ride to the canyon. Our goal was Bridal Veil Falls. I did my best but my bike was too large for me since all their bikes my size were checked out. I never could sit back in my seat correctly so I was quite uncomfortable. I did make it to the first park in the canyon and then Dad raced up to the falls while I rode back. I thought he would catch up to me but he stopped to chat along the way . . . of course. It was an incredibly beautiful morning.

The Brady’s came down for the game and Adrianne watched the girls while Heidi and Bill attended the game. Adrianne and Blake took the girls to the park and kept them busy with fun activities. Then Adrianne made them a fresh fish dinner! They lucked out having Adrianne in charge. After the game Adrianne and I ran to Wal-Mart to find something to make a scooter cover on Monday. Well, for me to make while Adrianne was in class.

We had a barbeque and invited Blake’s sister, Amber, and her family. They had lots of fun in Grandma’s backyard . . . all children love Grandma’s backyard!!! Heidi and Bill were able to come down also. Blake and his sister brought the dessert, strawberry pies!

After dropping Dad off at the airport, I swung by the Brady’s home. Heidi was preparing for Jenna’s Joy School that she was teaching that day so I stayed and help with some of that. It is much the same as when Nate and Katie were in Joy School! Remember . . . Oh boy, I’ve got joy! That afternoon I worked on Adrianne’s scooter cover. I made it from a vinyl tablecloth. Adrianne wanted something lightweight to throw over the scooter in bad weather so it wouldn’t be covered with snow at the end of her school day. She stays long hours on campus with class and work. Luckily, she has lots more helpers in the research lab now with Doctor Roeder requesting (no demanding) that every student in her anatomy class do “volunteer” hours in the Sun Bear lab. Adrianne has organized them in groups so she doesn’t have to do so much training.

Adrianne and I got a little time to do some wedding planning on Tuesday when we found a place to print invitations. We learned that it is the same place that that Randy and Julie Young use for much of their printing so TJ told Adrianne to mention their name for a discount next time she goes in! YES! Adrianne wanted me to see the china she choose so we hurried over to Macy’s but they don’t have a good china department. I found that so hard to believe since it is in the middle or wedding mecca. They had a sample and it looks so close to Heidi’s china I thin that is amazing. I headed to Salt Lake for my SendOutCards meetings the rest of the week. Adrianne and I hadn’t had a chance to work on her Christmas quilt so I planned to come back on Thursday when she wasn’t feeling so stressed over a couple of tests that she needed to take before that date.

Adrianne is a great seamstress. I couldn’t believe how quickly she put the quilt top together when we had the chance on Thursday evening. She is putting a lot of hours into this project. She planned to do it last Christmas for Sharon Gueck but didn’t have the time so now she “thinks” she has the time!!! I will bring it back when I come the first week of November to help Heidi clean out her basement.

My meetings in Salt Lake were wonderful. I gained a huge appreciation for this company while there. I was a little concerned at how I would feel at the meetings but I came away SO IMPRESSED. The people are such good people. I wondered, “Does the SendOutCards product attract these kind of people or does it make these kinds of people?” I think it is a little of both. As you become a distributor, you are asked to become a product of the product and it is suggested that you try and think of one person each day to whom you send a heartfelt card. I have noticed, as I try and do that, I notice things for which to show gratitude to someone or I notice other’s achievements to express a congratulations; things like that. I used to feel good that I am lifting someone else when they read the card that I have sent, but I have learned that it changes my outlook on the day; it changes how I feel also. My benefit is huge from thinking of someone’s life to celebrate; it’s magical. I heard someone suggest to someone who was feeling depressed, to think of someone to send a card of gratitude each day. I see how that can work. I love being a part of something that is not only fun and an incredible tool to stay in touch personally and for businesses but it is really doing good in the world by simple means. I also loved the many stories of the moms in the business that have been able to return home to their children instead of working outside the home.

One of my favorite parts of being in Salt Lake this past weekend was getting tickets to Sunday morning general conference. That is always such a great experience to be right there. Adrianne and Blake came from Orem to join Carol Stanger and me. The meeting was wonderful starting with the Spoken Word’s beautiful music. The arrangement for the second song, “The Lord is my Shepherd” was so beautiful that you just wanted to exclaim, “WOW” at the end. Adrianne said she especially enjoyed their last song “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” since it was the same arrangement she played for the Portland Mormon Choir and Orchestra.

The messages of conference were so clear; I can’t think of a better word. I have loved the opportunity to listen to them over and over again as I walk with my iTouch. Thank you for all of you who bought that for us! In the Sunday morning session I loved President Packer’s promise, when he asked us to improve our moral standards, that the angels would coach us and priesthood leaders would guide us when we tried to stop bad behaviors. I loved Sister Mary Cook’s warning that the use of too much social media was really taking us away from valuable relationship time. I can see how this happens. I also learned that I should go to bed earlier; that is a good goal for me to set. I loved the speakers in Sunday afternoon with the accents that made me have to really concentrate as they talked! I loved it and that story about the cow breaking through the fence to the dangerous wheat! I can’t wait to turn my attention to the Saturday messages. That is usually my favorite day of general conference.

I felt that I had been primed to listen to the prophet’s message all week long at my convention workshops since he spoke on cultivating an attitude of gratitude. For years I have had a quote from him in the front of my planner that reads, “Think to thank; take things with gratitude rather than for granted.” He said that in 2000 and really expounded it on it in conference this time. He promised us that while we sincerely give thanks, we unlock the door of heaven and can feel God’s love. I have felt this! He asked us to focus on our blessings instead of what we lack and to refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought. This reminds me of something I ALSO have written in my planner from your wise Grandma Bitter: “I use and enjoy what I have and don’t make myself unhappy for what I am not or don’t have.” She told me that in 1989 and I have turned to that quote many times. President Monson promised us that a prayerful life is a grateful life; to not take people for granted and don’t wait to express love and appreciation.

I have had a great week and now, after going through more than a week’s worth of mail and emails, I am ready for Alina, Adam, Sunhee and Meeja to visit. We will have a great time this weekend. I will have them help me grind some wheat and practice making bread since I am teaching a workshop next Saturday! Ha! I had to laugh when they asked me to do that. I said, “Well I guess I better practice doing that since I haven’t made bread for years!” If Dad is willing, I may drag him along as he has been our chief bread maker for the last few years.

We will be celebrating Adam’s birthday on Friday; he has requested shrimp pasta (or Alina got him to request it!). He is 11 now . . . yikes! Can you believe it!

I was in Utah while Morty came up for a Duck game last weekend. Luckily, I was able to see him in the airport. My flight came in just before his was leaving. We gathered by Katie’s desk . . . well, Southwest’s desk where Katie was working. She was at the desk that serviced both mine and Morty’s gate. It was pretty fun.

Dad has been working in Salem so he went extra early so he could have time to visit with Scott today. He is in good spirits. We were worried how he would react to Angie’s legal papers served him last week for guardianship of Alina. He seems to be coming to the realization that those of us outside working with the children may have a better understanding of their needs. He is good to be thankful for those helping his family and also fast and prayer for his children and Kyre. I love you, Mom